Great Britain wants to introduce a mandatory digital ID
The new digital ID is intended to simplify access to state and private services and at the same time deter illegal immigrants.
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The British government is planning to introduce a digital ID for all legal residents of the UK. According to an announcement by the government, the ID, which is available free of charge, will be securely stored on smartphones and serve as proof of identity, including age and residence status. In addition to name, date of birth, nationality or residence status, it will also contain a biometrically usable photo. In the UK, which does not have a passport requirement, the obligation to provide proof of identity that also includes a photo is a novelty. Previous attempts to introduce a comparable ID card have so far failed.
Control of work authorisation as a key objective
According to the Labour government, the digital ID should generally make it easier to identify oneself for state and private services and thus be "a cornerstone of a modern state", as Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, explained when Starmer presented the project, according to a BBC report. To take the wind out of the sails of previous reservations about compulsory ID, the government information explicitly announces that the police will not be able to demand to see the digital ID in the future either.
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When presenting the project, the British government focused on the goal of achieving more reliable control of work authorization. "This measure will make it harder to work illegally in this country and make our borders safer," promised Starmer in his speech at the Global Progress Action Summit in London. Until now, jobseekers have identified themselves using their national insurance number, which is said to be comparatively easy to forge. In the future, the British government wants to oblige employers to use the digital ID to check work authorisation.
Labour aims to implement plans quickly
So far, the project is only a declaration of intent. The Labour government aims to launch a public consultation before the end of this year and then introduce a corresponding bill in Parliament. The project should be implemented by the end of the current legislative period.
(anm)
